Sunday, January 22, 2012

One
of the quiet tragedies of our era is the continuing martyrdom of many
of our fellow Christians throughout the world. Persecution continues,
almost unnoticed and certainly under-reported. On Christmas day this
year, bombings killed Catholics at 2 churches in Nigeria, but much more
persecution went on. Christmas Eve Mass was canceled at most Catholic
churches in Iraq, out of fear of attracting violence. Martyrdom for our
faith is not something from the history books. The once-strong
Chaldean Catholic church, with it's Patriarchate in Baghdad, has been
decimated, by violence and bloodshed as well as by flight from Iraq to
seek refuge and safety from persecution.